Every busy woman needs to hear Carrie Underwood’s advice on working out

Any woman who’s wondering how to have it all—including a work-life balance that still leaves time for regular sweat sessions, self-care, and a passionate side hustle—should first know that the struggle is real. Then, take comfort in the fact that Carrie Underwood not only feels you, she also has some advice you need to hear: “Just do the best you can. And then cut yourself some slack.”

Sounds simple. But sometimes, the same drive that leads to your success can also leave you believing you’re never enough (or never doing enough). And you need someone (in this case, a megawatt country singer) to remind you that your awesomeness is not defined by how many miles/burpees/leg lifts you did today.

It’s a feeling Underwood’s all too familiar with. Since winning American Idol 12 years ago, she’s released seven albums, launched her own activewear line, married, and become a mother. (Phew!) “It’s just all the worlds colliding,” she says.

“My mental state is just so much better if I get out and move.”

It’s a busy life, especially since having her son, Isaiah, now two. Unsurprisingly, her exercise routine isn’t the same as it once was. “Before him, I had plenty of time every day to work out, even if it was a busy day,” she says of her former six-days-a-week sweat schedule. “Now that I have him and I’m working, some days I might only have 30 minutes. Some weeks I might only get to work out a couple times a week,” she says.

To stay motivated, she says she focuses on the mood-boosting benefits of exercise. “My mental state is just so much better if I get out and move,” she says. Her best advice? See workouts as part of your self-care routine. “If you have the opportunity, you should do that for yourself. Because it’s only going to make you a better person.” Anyone else feeling the fitspo?

For anywhere workouts you can do in a hurry, try this 15-minute ab routine from celeb-favorite trainer Akin Ackman—or the core-strengthening move Cher swears by.